This is a common butterfly but I rarely see them here. Perhaps this season will be different. Although this one has seen better days it let me take this photgraph as it was sunning itself.
So far this year, I've seen a handful of Cabbage Whites, one or two Australian Painted Ladies, one Yellow Admiral and several sightings of Red-spotted Jezebel or Wood White. These gliding butterflies are one of my favourites so you can imagine how peeved I was when sitting off a Wood White yesterday as it inspected some mistletoe in my Melaleuca. It was on about the 4th or 5th lap of the tree when I suspect a rotten little Willy Wagtail whacked it! :-( It looked pretty guilty to me - sitting on my house power line licking it's little lips! Besides, I heard that 'snap'!!
And guess what! That Wagtail is expecting more to arrive! It's on constant patrol of the general location! Nothing to do with the fact that it may well have a nest in the vicinity. No, this Wagtail just wants to ruin my day!
Mean little bird! :-)
5 comments:
"sitting on my house power line licking it's little lips!"
Now that would make a good photo :-)
May have spoiled your day JL, but you've gotta love 'em!
Thanks Mosura and Duncan,
"Gotta love 'em!" Heck NO!!!!
Found a little nest under construction in the very same Melaleuca. I will be keeping an eye on it. This tree is right outside my bedroom window - and the Waggies sing all night - as we know!! :-)
I will reap my revenge on the Wagtail family when I put the ladder up to take some Up Close & Personals! :-)
I cannot believe what I am reading here, JL !!!
Hope your Wagtails produce a clutch successfully. Their babies are very cute, almost comical. Their beak width doubles with the yellow gape which chicks have - so they look to have beaks twice as large as normal. All the better to gobble up your butterfliies.
Cheers
Denis
LOL Denis - I hope the clutch is successful too but they had better get their skates on. The days are getting quite hot here.
I hope to take some photos of the 'kids' if and when they hatch. The hen isn't incubating yet.
This Wagtail business is now a work in progress! :-)
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